Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

fundamentals of environmental science > chapter 3 > Flashcards

chapter 3 Flashcards

1
Q

adaptation

A

the acquisition of advantageous traits that allow a species population to better survive in its environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

acclimation

A

an individual organism’s changes in response to an altered environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

natural selection

A

refers to the process by which individuals with useful traits pass on those traits to the next generation, while others reproduce less successfully.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

critical factor

A

the single factor that is in the shortest supply is the (blank) in determining where a species lives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

tolerance limits

A

each environmental factor has both minimum and maximum levels, called (blank), beyond which a particular species cannot survive or is unable to reproduce.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

indictor species

A

is an organisms whose sensitivities can tell about environmental conditions in an area.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

ecological niche

A

describing both the role played by a species in a biological community and the set of environmental factors that determine its distribution.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

generalist

A

large ranges, omnivorous, wide range of environmental tolerances. examples: black bear, raccoon, wild grape.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

specialist

A

small ranges, specialized diet, narrow range of environmental tolerances. examples: sand skink, florida scrub ray, ghost orcid.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

endemic species

A

they inhabit one specific type of environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

competitive exclusion

A

refers to the principle that no two species can occupy the same ecological niche for long.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

speciation

A

over time, a population becomes more adapted to its ecological niche and develops distinctive traits that eventually differentiate it entirely from its biological relatives. caused by geographic isolation and time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

allopatric speciation

A

speciation that occurs as a result of geographically separated populations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

sympatric speciation

A

speciation that occurs as a result of behavioral isolation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

selective pressure

A

is the general term for factors that modify a species’ traits.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

taxonomy

A

is the study of types of organisms and their relationships.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

bacteria

A

cells have no membrane around the nucleus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

archaea

A

DNA differs from bacteria and cell functions allow them to survive in extreme environments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

eukarya

A

cells do have a membrane around the nucleus and split into 4 kingdoms. those are animals, plants, fungi (molds and mushrooms), and protists (algae, protozoans, slime molds).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

competition

A

is an antagonistic relationship within a biological community. all organisms compete for resources. plants compete for space, sunlight, water, nutrients. animals compete for living, nesting, and feeding sites.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

intraspecific competition

A

competition among members of the same species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

interspecific competition

A

competition among members of different species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

predator

A

any organism that feeds directly on another living organisms. carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores.

24
Q

predator-mediated competition

A

a superior competitor in a habit builds up a larger population than its competing species; predators take note and increase their hunting pressure on the superior species, reducing its abundance and allowing the weaker competitor to increase its numbers.

25
Q

coevolution

A

refers to the close adaptation of two species based on biological relationships.

26
Q

batesian mimicry

A

harmless prey species use this to resemble different species that may be poisonous or bad-tasting.

27
Q

mullerian mimicry

A

refers to two unpalatable or dangerous species evolve to look alike. when predators learn to avoid both species, they both benefit.

28
Q

symbiosis

A

refers to a relationship between two or more species who are intimately linked. often the result of coevolution.

29
Q

mutualism

A

a symbiotic relationship in which both species clearly benefit.

30
Q

commensalism

A

refers to a relationship where one member clearly benefits and the other is neither benefited or harmed.

31
Q

parasitism

A

refers to a relationship where one member benefits and the other is harmed.

32
Q

keystone species

A

plays a critical role in a biological community that is out of proportion to its abundance.

33
Q

exponential

A

growth without limits.

34
Q

carrying capacity

A

(restricted growth) refers to the number of animals that can be supported (without harvest) in a certain area of habitat. limits exponential growth. tied to limited resources.

35
Q

logistic growth

A

when exponential growth is slowed or altered as the carrying capacity of the environment changes, the rate of population growth changes resulting in (blank).

36
Q

density-dependant factors

A

crowding, resource scarcity, spread of disease are considered (blank).

37
Q

r-selected species

A

high reproductive rate, high growth rate, little parental care, high mortality of offspring. examples: houseflies, sea turtles, mice.

38
Q

k-selected species

A

long generation times, late sexual maturity, few young, slow growth rate. examples: primates, elephants, whales.

39
Q

type I

A

high survivorship for juvelines

40
Q

types II

A

uniform mortality throughout lifespan.

41
Q

type III

A

high mortality for juveniles and few individuals reach maturity.

42
Q

diversity

A

the number of different species in an area.

43
Q

abundance

A

the number of individuals of a particular species (or group) in an area.

44
Q

community structure

A

refers to the spatial patterns or distribution of individuals, species, and populations.

45
Q

core habitat

A

refers to a relatively uniform habitat that is free from the influences of edges.

46
Q

complexity

A

refers to the number of trophic levels in a community and to the number of species at each of those trophic levels.

47
Q

primary productivity

A

refers to the production of biomass by photosynthesis and is a major factor contributing to resilience.

48
Q

stability

A

complexity and resilience lead to (blank), a system’s ability to resist change, despite a disturbance, and support the same species in about the same numbers as before the disturbance.

49
Q

climax community

A

refers to the community that developed last and lasted the longest. it contains the maximum possible complexity and stability.

50
Q

organismal communities

A

results from species replacing each other in predictable groups and in a fixed, regular order.

51
Q

individualistic communities

A

are the results of an unpredictable process resulting from many variables. species are individualistic, each establishing in an environment according to its own ability to colonize, tolerate the environmental conditions, and reproduce there.

52
Q

succession

A

the process in which organisms occupy a site and change its environmental conditions, gradually making way for another type of community.

53
Q

primary succession

A

occurs when land that is bare of soil - sandbar, rock, volcanic flow - is colonized by living organisms where none lived there before.

54
Q

pioneer species

A

are the first ones to colonize a new environment (mosses, lichens, microbes) and can stand the harshest environment with the fewest resources.

55
Q

secondary succession

A

occurs after a disturbance, when a new community develops from the biological legacy of the previous one.

56
Q

disturbance

A

is any force that disrupts the established pattern of species diversity and abundance, community structure, or community properties.

57
Q

disturbance-adapted species

A

areas that undergo periodic disturbances are comprised of communities of (blank).

fundamentals of environmental science (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions